Balanced well pump



y 8, 1956 w. H. PORTER BALANCED WELL PUMP Filed Dec. 7, 1954 FL will.

wmpmmoz 5* 49m A 7 7'0 R/VEYS United States atent T 2,744,468 BALANCED WELL PUMP William H. Porter, Phoenix, Ariz.

ApplicationDecember 7, 195'4,.Serial;No. 473,706 2 claims. '(CLI03-1'83) This invention relates to pumps, and more particularly .to an improved lift pump.

The main object of :the invention is to provide .a :novel and improved lift pump which is simple v.construction,

which is reliable in operation, and which Einvolves relatively Efew :parts.

A -:fiurther object of :the invention is tto provide an :improved ,lift pump which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is rugged in construction, which :is smooth .in operation, and which :is balanced :sothat ittrnay be easily operated without exertion of excessive "force on :the driving elements thereof. 7

:Eurtherobjects :and advantages of :the invention will become apparent from =-the following description and claims, and from the accompanying .drawings, wherein:

Figure :1 .is a iside-zelevational zvi'ew, 1partly=in wertical cross section, of ;an improved lift pump constructed in accordance -withithe {present invention.

=Figure .2 is a horizontal .cross sectional view "taken on the -.line 2-2 of 'Figure =1.

Figure 3 is .a side elevational iview, partlyain -vertical cross section, of a modified form f '=lift pump according to the ,present invention, employinga single cylinder;

Figure 4 is a horizontalcross sectional viewrtaken'on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 1's an elevational view-of a further modificationiofl-a lift purnptaccordiugttothe. presentdnventionnto-a reduced scale.

rFigurefi-is a horizontal .cross sectional view taken on the.-line 6.6 of Figure 5.

Referring -to -@the =:drawings, 1and:more particularly :to Figure '11, 1:11 -.ge'nerallytdesignates :a liftgpurnpmassembly, said assemblycomprising :a 'firstverticalcylinder 1-2 a second vertical cylinder d3,- said cylindersbeing interconnected at their lintermediate portions by arhori'zontal conduit a1 4. .An loutlet conduit islconnected to :the -top;portion-of.-the cylinder 1 2.

Designated -respectively .at 16nk1fld r17 are respective partition walls --whioh .are iformediin the lower portions oft-the respective-cylinders M12. and '13 {a substantial *dis tance belovwthezhorizontalconduit 14. 1 Designated 'at 1'8 and .49 are irespective piston :r'ods 'wWhiCh '1 extend axially .throughdhecylinders r1-2.=.ar1d 113 and which'rextend slidably-rand. sealinglyuthrough thewrespective partition walls Mend #17, for :exarnplmthtough respective -sealingcblush .i-ngs' 30-:a11ds2151p1'0Vid6djn .the partition-walls 16. and :17

aSecu-redw-totthedoweriend:oflthe piston rod lficis' aafirst piston 22, said first,;piston rbe'ingz'located'helow'dhe'gpartition wall 16 in the cylinder 12, and secured to the piston rodxlfi .zabove dhe ep'artition wall 216 isza second piston 23. Designatedratd4- is-ia piston. which is secured to the piston rod'19' below the, partition wall .17 of ,cyl- 'iiider l-3,"*afnd"designated"at '25 is a piston which is secured to the piston'rod "19' above thefpartition wallj17 'Thlowerpistons22'and'24are provided with respective upwardly opening check valves 26 and 27 which are normally closed but which open when the pressure below the pistons exceeds the pressure thereabove. Designated ice at 28 and 29 are respective upwardlyopening check valves provided in the bottom walls of the respective cylinders 12 and 13, said check valves 28 and 29 being normally closed and being arranged to open responsive to the upward movement of the respective lower pistons 22 and 24, by the suction created by said pistons.

Designated at 30 is a conduit which connects the space between partition wall 16 and the lower piston 22 with the space above the. upper piston 23 in the cylinder 12. The conduit 30 is provided with the upwardly opening check valve 31, as shown.

Designated at 32 is a conduit whichconnects the space between the lower piston 24 and partition wall 17 with the space above the upper piston 25 in the cylinder 13, said conduit 32 being provided with the upwardly opening check valve 33,-as shown.

Designated respectively at 34 and 35 are respective vent conduits which are connected to the portions of the respective cylinders 12 and 13 :between the partition :walls 16, 17 thereof and the upper pistons 23, 25 thereof, the vent conduits 34 and 35 extending upwardly .to levels substantially above the water level with which :the pump is to be employed, for example, above the water level shown at 38 in Figure 1. The top ends .of the vent conduits 34 and 35 are open, so that the spaces in the cylinders between the upper pistons and the partition walls 116, 17 thereof are vented to atmosphere.

The top-.ends'of the cylinders 12 and .13are connected by an upstanding bracket 37 of any suitable shape, :for

example, :of inverted V-shape, :as shown, and pivoted $0 the top portion of the bracket 37 at 40 is a common operating lever 41 which-is pivotally connected at .42 and 43 to the top .ends of :the respective piston rods :19 and 18, as-shown inFigure "1.

In operation, the'lever '41 is oscillated around its-pivotal connection 40, whereby the piston rods '18 and 19 .are alternately reciprocated. -When the piston 22 is moved upwardly, the piston 24:is moved downwardly, and vice versa. When the pistoni22 is rnoved'upwardly, the check valve28 opens, drawing 'liquid' into the lower portion of the cylinder -12. At the same time, :the downwardrrnove- .rnentofthepiston :24 7 causes ;the liquid in thelower portion of the cylinder 13 to-rnove upwardly pastathe-piston through the check-valve -27.

.Thus-itiwilhbe apparent that any liquid-in the space above the piston .22 will. -be--forced upwardly through :the conduit 30 and through-check valve "3-1 whenthepiston 22 ,-is moved upwardly, the liquid thus flowing into the space .in cylinder .12 aabovethe piston123 and beinggforced upwardly to the outletcon'duit 15.- -While this is taking place, liquid is beingforced into the space in cylinder :13 immediately above the piston 24, and since .piston 25sis' moving downwardlyat this time, some of the liquid from cylinder '12 will flow throughthe conduit 14 into .the upper .portionof the 'cy1in'der13, which thus acts as a reservoir and which .serves'the purpose of making the operation ofthe pump smoother by increasing theat'otal capacity of the cylinders.

On the upward stroke. of'the piston rod i9, which takes :place when the piston rod 18 is moveddownwardly, the above action is reversed, the cylinder 13 then providing the .liftof the' liquid previously admitted into-the space :above the;piston 24, said liquid being :moved upward-1y through the conduit SZand check valve 33 and flowing through; the conduit 'l linto the upper portion of thecylinder 12, thefiuid-pressure being sufiicient to cause the liquid to be discharged from the discharge conduit 15;a t,-the,top end portion of cylinder 12.

.Thuatdischarge, action; takes place ,on both upward and downward movements of the handle portion of lever 41, and as a result, a smooth and steady flow of liquid is obtained from the discharge conduit 15.

Since the spaces below the pistons 23 and 25 are vented to atmosphere at all times, there is never any unbalance of pressure immediately below these pistons, whereby the pump is balanced at all times.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pump is designated generally at 11' and comprises a single cylinder 12 containing the piston rod 18'. Secured to the lower end of the piston rod 18 is the lower piston 22', said piston 22 being provided with the upwardly opening check valve 26. The lower portion of the cylinder 12' is provided with the partition wall 16' through which the piston rod 18' slidably and sealingly extends, as by the provision of a sealing bushing 20. Secured on the piston rod 18' above the partition wall 16 is the upper piston 23'. A conduit 30 connects the space between the lower piston 22 and partition wall 16 with the space above the upper piston 23', the conduit 30' being provided with the upwardly opening check valve 31. A check valve 28 is provided in the bottom of the cylinder 12', said valve 28 being normally closed and opening when the pressure below the check valve exceeds the pressure above said check valve, namely, when the piston 22 is moved upwardly, creating a vacuum therebelow.

A vent pipe 34' connects the space immediately below the piston 23' with atmosphere, said vent pipe 34 extending parallel to the cylinder 12 and being open at its top end, the top end of the vent pipe 34' being located above the water line of the well, shown at 38'.

Secured to the top end of the cylinder 12 is the upwardly extending bracket 37', and pivoted to said bracket 37' at 40' is a lever 41', said lever being pivotally connected at 43' to the top end of the piston rod 18'. Secured to the outer end of the lever 41' is the counterweight 45.

As in the previously described form of the invention, oscillation of the lever 41' causes alternate opening and closing of the check valve 26' as the lower piston 22' is moved alternately downwardly and upwardly, causing alternate closing and opening of the check valve 28. Liquid thus trapped in the lower portion of the cylinder 12 will be lifted upwardly throughthe conduit 30' and check valve 31' to the upper portion of the cylinder 12, and will be discharged through a discharge conduit 15' provided at the top end portion of the cylinder 12. The provision of the counterweight 45 facilitates the upward stroke of the handle portion of the lever 41, and thus aids in lifting the liquid upwardly through the device to the discharge conduit 15' thereof. Since there is less resistance to the downward movement of the pistons 23 and 22 than to the upward movement of said pistons, the handle portion of the lever 41 can be moved downwardly to elevate the counterweight 45 with approximately the same amount of force as is required to raise the pistons 22' and 23' to elevate the liquid to the discharge spout 15'.

In the modification shown in Figures and 6, the structure is generally similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, comprising a pair of cylinders 52 and 53 which are connected at their upper portions by a conduit 54, the cylinder 52 being connected at its upper portion to a discharge conduit 55. The internal structure of the cylinders 52 and 53 is the same as the cylinders 12 and 13 in Figures 1 and 2, the spaces in the cylinders immediately below the upper pistons 23 and 25 thereof being interconnected by a transversely extending conduit 56 which is connected to a vertical vent conduit 57 open at its top end. The top ends of the respective piston rods 19 and 18 in the cylinders 52 and 53 are connected to respective oppositely directed cranks 58 and 59 provided on a crank shaft 60, the top ends of the pistons 19 and 18 being connected to the crank 58 by means of suitable connecting rods 61 and 62 having the wrist pin connections 63 and 64, whereby the rods 18 and 19 are reciprocated rcsponsive to the rotation of the crank shaft 60. The crank shaft 60 may be driven by any suitable means.

As in the form of the invention of Figures 1 and 2, the cylinders 52 and 53 have the conduits 30 and 32 connecting the spaces immediately above the lower pistons thereof with the spaces above the upper pistons thereof, said conduits containing suitable check valves, such as the check valves 31 and 33 of Figure l. The operation of the form of the pump device of Figures 5 and 6 is similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, since rotation of the crank shaft 60 will cause the piston rods 18 and 19 to reciprocate in opposite directions to provide the pumping action previously described in connection with the form of the invention in Figures 1 and 2.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved lift pump have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pump comprising a pair of side-by-side cylinders, conduit means interconnecting the intermediate portions of said cylinders, and an outlet conduit connected to the top portion of one of the cylinders, respective partition walls in the lower portions of said cylinders below said conduit means, respective piston rods extending axially through the cylinders and extending slidably and sealingly through the respective partition walls, respective upper and lower pistons on the rods above and below the respective partition walls, a check valve on each lower piston arranged to open when the pressure below the piston exceeds the pressure thereabove, respective check valves in the bottom portions of the cylinders arranged to open responsive to upward movement of the respective lower pistons, respective conduits connecting the spaces between the partition walls and the lower pistons to the spaces above the upper pistons in the respective cylinders, upwardly opening check valves in said last-named conduits, and common operating means pivotally connected to the top portions of the piston rods.

2. A pump comprising a pair of side-by-side cylinders, conduit means interconnecting the intermediate portions of said cylinders, an outlet conduit connected to the top portion of one of the cylinders, respective partition walls in the lower portions of said cylinders below said conduit means, respective piston rods extending axially through the cylinders and extending slidably and sealingly through the respective partition walls, respective upper and lower pistons on the rods above and below the respective partition walls, a check valve on each lower piston arranged to open when the pressure below the piston exceeds the pressure thereabove, respective check valves in the bottom portions of the cylinders arranged to open responsive to upward movement of the respective lower pistons, respective conduits connecting the spaces between the partition walls and the lower pistons to the spaces above the upper pistons in the respective cylinders, upwardly opening check valves in said last-named conduits, a common operating element drivingly connected to the top portions of the piston rods, and vent means connecting the portions of the cylinders between said partition walls and upper pistons to the atmosphere at a level above said first-named conduit means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 877,583 McLaughlin Ian. 28, 1908 1,013,415 Martin Ian. 2, 1912 2,660,124 Porter Nov. 24, 1953 

